Democrats' first Spanish-language video of 2016 blasts Republicans on gun control

"But all of the Republican
candidates oppose the prevention of firearm violence," the ad
said.DNC

The Democratic National Committee is launching its first
Spanish-language video of the election year, a spot that hits
Republican candidates for opposing President Barack Obama's
executive action on gun control.

The video compiled Hispanic media clips of Obama's major speech
on Tuesday, when the president teared up while discussing the
effects of gun violence.

"The majority of gun owners support universal background checks,"
text in the ad reads. "But all of the Republican candidates
oppose the prevention of firearm violence."

Pablo Manriquez, the director of Hispanic media at the DNC, told
Business Insider that voters could expect to see similar ads
targeted at Spanish-speaking voters throughout 2016. The
committee is attempting to ensure that Hispanics viewing English
news clips online are aware of Democratic messaging on various
issues.

"A lot of times you have these moments, and they don't appear in
YouTube with subtitles," Pablo Martinez said. "So it's about
making sure that Hispanic audiences, and Spanish-speaking
audiences in particular, have access to these kinds of moments."

"It is something that creates insecurity and fear that stunts our
ability to fully grasp the American dream, in some cases,"
Manriquez said.

Few underestimate the power that the Latino vote will play in
coming elections, as a large share of both the electorate and key
swing states.

According to the left-leaning Center for American Progress,
Latinos are expected to account for 13% of eligible voters in
2016, with higher percentages projected in swing states including
Nevada, Florida, and Colorado.

Though immigration reform remains
most important among Hispanic voters, Democratic candidates
are making an effort to highlight how the party's platform
benefits Latinos beyond immigration.

During a strategy session at presidential front-runner Hillary
Clinton's Brooklyn headquarters late last year dedicated to
engaging Latina voters, Clinton's Latino outreach director said
she noticed how gun control had become a major issue that
energized Clinton's Latino supporters.

"You know what's so interesting is that a lot of people have
assumptions that we come together as Latinas and that the only
thing that we really talk about is immigration," the Clinton
campaign's Lorella Praeli told Business Insider.

"What I found ... is that women talking about gun control and how
important that was in their community and for them because of
their kids and their families."

Watch the ad below, via the DNC:

A previous version of this article stated that immigration is
the "No. 1" issue among Latino voters. Recent surveys show
that immigration reform is most important to Hispanic
voters.